Tales from Ouran High
by vannahfanfics
Summary: A collection of oneshots from the Ouran High School Host Club fandom. DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters presented in these stories, only OCs. These rights belong to Bisco Hatori. My requests are currently: OPEN
1. Foreword

Hello everyone! Welcome to my oneshot collection for Ouran High School Host Club, _Tales from Ouran High! _It includes a variety of stories, from passionate romances to tales of friendship, and I hope everyone enjoys reading them as much as I enjoy writing them. If you have migrated here from _Cuddle Corner, _thank you for sticking with me; if you are new, welcome and enjoy what I have here! In either case, happy reading!

I do take prompts/pairing and story requests (in fact, I love them, so please feel free to request!). However, there are a couple of guidelines to keep in mind:

If a prompt is submitted, I do not guarantee that I will agree to write it. If I feel uncomfortable at the prompt or otherwise feel like I do not possess enough information to adequately complete the prompt, it is my right to politely refuse to take the prompt. If the prompt is from a series that I have not read/seen, it is likely that I will place the prompt on hold until I have done so. If the prompt is from an anime filler arc, I may refuse or require a short explanation of the filler arc to provide me with enough detail to complete the prompt. Please respect my choice as an author to refuse prompts.

Most of the stories I write are male/female, mostly because this is what I am comfortable writing. However, if you wish to suggest a female/female or male/male prompt, please feel free to do so. I don't discriminate against such pairings and will most likely write them if requested, it is just unlikely that I will do so spontaneously. Again, please respect my decision as the author to refuse to write a pairing if I cannot draw appropriate inspiration.

Finally, this is _not _a place for smut. I respect people who read and/or write it, but I am not one of those people, so please do not request anything that is NSFW. Other than NSFW, there are two other things to keep I mind. _I do not romanticize cheating_. So if I feel your request involves something of this nature, I will politely refuse. I have been hassled about this before, so please don't press me on it. Secondly, _I am sensitive about large age gaps between characters_. These will be taken on a case-by-case basis and depends on the age of the characters as well as their relationship. I am particularly iffy concerning student-teacher relationships, and those will most likely be refused. Of course, everyone is entitled to their preferences and I will never harass you or judge you if you request something of this nature. All I ask is that if I refuse, you take is gracefully, and don't get upset if I happen to write another pairing with an age gap because the circumstances are most likely radically different. I promise you that I have my reasons.

Below is also a list of my other oneshot collections. Please do stop by if any of them pique your interest! Is there a fandom you love not represented? Please recommend it to me! I love new things to read.

The Bonds that We Hold Dear _(Naruto)_

Tales of Connected Souls _(Bleach)_

Tales from the Four Tribes _(Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: The Legend of Korra)_

Equivalent Exchange: My Life for Yours _(Fullmetal Alchemist)_

Love Burning Bright _(Blue Exorcist)_

Tales of the Dawning Sun _(Yona of the Dawn)_

Love on a Fairy's Wing _(Fairy Tail)_

Love on the High Seas _(One Piece)_

Tales of Resonating Souls _(Soul Eater)_

One Sky, One Destiny _(Kingdom Hearts)_

Tales from Edo _(Gintama)_

Tales of Scattered Realms _(Final Fantasy Franchise)_

Tales of the Zodiac _(Fruits Basket)_

Tales of Heroes and Villains_ (My Hero Academia)_

Tales of Sinners and Saints _(The Seven Deadly Sins)_

Memories of the World Between_ (Noragami)_

Tales of the Mafia _(Katekyo Hitman Reborn!) _


	2. Index

**Chapter 1: **Rain, Rain, Go Away _(Haruhi/Tamaki)_

**Chapter 2:** The Twins' First Sleepover_ (Haruhi & Hikaru & Kaoru)_

**Chapter 3:** Hot and Cold_ (Mori/Haruhi)_

**Chapter 4:** A Moment's Peace_ (Mori/Haruhi)_

**Chapter 5:** Shortbread Cookies _(Renge/Kyoya)_


	3. Rain, Rain, Go Away

Category: Romantic Fluff

Characters: Tamaki Suoh and Haruhi Fujioka

This prompt was taken from the prompt blog on Tumblr, hellsdemonictrinity! Please check them out!

As Haruhi stepped out of the threshold to the school building and the skies immediately split open to shower her with cold, pounding rain, it was pretty much the cherry on top of an already monumentally dismal day. As her brunette hair became instantaneously plastered across her forehead, she only sighed heavily and swiped a finger across her skin to push the wet strands out of her eyes. Of course, she had not brought an umbrella since she had declined to check the weather forecast because she woke up thirty minutes late this morning and barely had time to get herself together before scrambling out of the apartment she shared with her boyfriend, Tamaki. He had an earlier class and had woken up earlier and left long before she had, so she had no one to ensure she had woken up on time. She hadn't, but slept right through her alarm. That was only the beginning of an all-around miserable day.

She had missed the city bus and had to run to school. She had only barely made it, blasting into her classroom in a sweaty, wheezing mess, only to sink into her desk and discover she had left her laptop at home. She had barely been able to keep up hand-writing notes and it left her hand terribly cramping. She had tripped in the lunchroom and made an even more fool of herself, and hadn't been able to get the grease stain out of the pretty new skirt Tamaki had bought her as a present. Her beleaguered demeanor and shabby clothes had of course attracted stares the rest of the day. In her last class she had discovered that she had done the wrong section of homework due to a miscommunication, and had been forced to take a lesser grade by turning it in late the following day. Just as school had ended and she thought that perhaps her streak of bad luck would lift, the day had literally decided to rain on her parade.

"I just have to get home, and nothing bad can happen there…" she mumbled while pulling her bag closer to herself in a pitiful effort to keep it from getting entirely drenched. The other students walked around her, holding their umbrellas aloft as they chatted amiably, and no one offered Haruhi a spot underneath their shield from the rain. Haruhi sniffed against the cold settling into her body as she tromped down the school steps and turned onto the sidewalk that would lead her home. Her hand continuously swiped her bangs out of her eyes, which she had scrunched up against the rivulets of water streaming down her skin. As if her day hadn't been comically miserable enough, of course a driver carelessly drove through a widening puddle against the curb and sent a wave of water falling over her. "You have _got_ to be _kidding me_!" she screeched angrily as she held up her arms, which were now laden with slimy street water. She wrung the ends of her long sleeves while gritting her teeth, watching as the stream of water that poured forth dove into the layer of it flowing across the sidewalk and soaking into her shoes. Every inch of her clothing clung uncomfortably to her. Her notes were undoubtedly soaked, as her bag had not escaped the wall of water flung at her. "Just get home," she mumbled again before continuing her trudge down the street.

By the time Haruhi made it home, she was already sneezing. Water puddled onto the linoleum floor as she tromped into the flat with a serious of gross-sounding squelches. She pulled her schoolbag off her person and gingerly retrieved her binder, then grimaced; the pages within were clumped together in one sodden mass. Rather than changing into warm clothes because she absolutely had to salvage her notes, she flung the drenched bag aside to let it pool across the apartment floor and headed to the bathroom to retrieve her blow-dryer. After blasting the pages with enough heat to make them manageable, she strung several lines of twine across the largest space, the living room, and meticulously strung each page up with clothespins to let them air-dry. By this time, Haruhi's clothes were only slightly damp. As she walked to the entryway to retrieve her still-dripping schoolbag, she neglected the puddle of water that had formed there and promptly slipped. She screamed as she landed harshly on her side, and burning pain traveled up her arm and across her shoulder from striking that sweet spot of her elbow. She lay there curled up on the ground for a moment, whining in pain while her clothes eagerly soaked up the water there like sponges. She laid her head against the floor and contemplated dying, and the door burst open.

"Haruhi?! Are you okay?" Of course, it was Tamaki, freaking out. As much as she loved him, she could _not _deal with his overwhelming protectiveness right now.

"I'm fine," she muttered as she pushed herself onto her hands and knees, then reached out to slide her schoolbag over the floor. It left a smear of water in its wake, like the slime trail of a slug.

"Let me help you up!" he twittered, and Haruhi, in her ire at her miserable day misplaced, harshly smacked his hand away and glared at him.

"I said I'm fine! Now leave me alone, Tamaki!" He recoiled at her harsh tone and simply allowed her to rise unsteadily to her feet. She cursed as she sneezed loudly a few times in a row and felt the shivers coming on. _Ugh, now is not the time for me to have a fever! I have too much to do! _She thought through gritted teeth. She ignored her perplexed boyfriend and the rest of their friends who had been attracted from the neighboring apartment peering into the doorway. She batted the drying pieces of paper away as she unsteadily wobbled into her bedroom, and threw the door shut behind her. The bag slipped from her hand as she fell face-first into her bed, just wanting a moment of something soft and warm, but then realized that in the process she had drenched her comforter and screamed in exasperation. The thick, plush fabric absorbed her ire as it did the water.

A warm shiver did not relieve the chill she had contracted. A pile of discarded tissues was already forming as she sat curled up in her office chair, wrapped in two thick blanket with snot running from her nose, and barely able to type at her computer for the intensity of her shivering. This made Haruhi's annoyance persist, and her sour mood did not help her concentrate in the slightest. In a fit of rage, she flung her computer aside and slammed her forehead against the desk, then repeatedly continued banging it in some attempt to vent all her nervous, angry energy. _I just want this day to be over. _It wasn't that simple, though. She had to finish her work. Without lifting her head, she groped for her laptop and dejectedly pulled it to her. That's when the knock at the door came, soft and hesitant.

"Haruhi?" Tamaki's voice floated through the wood like the tune of a song Haruhi didn't realize she had missed. Rather than being irritated by his appearance like earlier that day, she was relieved, and then immediately guilty. _Ugh, I was such a jerk… _she thought with a groan. Too embarrassed now to open the door, she just continued to sulk against the desk with her hand still resting on the keyboard of her laptop that she now had no intention to use; Tamaki took her lack of yelling to be permission, and she heard the doorknob twist and the soft creak of the door as it slowly opened. There was a silence as he drank in her sorry state and the collection of tissues on the floor. "… I take it you had a bad day."

"Uh-huh." His footsteps were soft as he strode across the carpet. There was a soft _thunk _against Haruhi's desk and a warmness that bloomed across her cheek, and she looked up to see a steaming bowl of soup resting just at the edge of the desk, and Tamaki's softly smiling face hovering above it. At the kind gesture, especially after her rude treatment of him, Haruhi's bottom lip wobbled and she pulled the blanket over her face. "You shouldn't have…" She did not resist as Tamaki spun the chair around and crouched in front of her, pulling the blanket off her head to reveal the pouty expression she was wearing.

"Of course I should have. When someone has a bad day, it is only common practice to make them feel better, no?" His serene smile and kind face warmed Haruhi more than the soup ever could have. With a sigh, she fell forward to loosely wrap her loving boyfriend in a hug. "Eh?" he blinked, mildly confused at the response.

"I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you. I'm sorry I snapped earlier, Tamaki." The sigh slipped past her lips as she buried her face into his neck, his luscious blonde hair falling over her face. She felt eased as she breathed in the familiar scent of him.

"Oh," he chuckled softly. Haruhi smiled as he turned his head to press a kiss into her comparably tousled and messy locks. "That's okay. I only cried about it for about ten minutes." Haruhi snorted with laughter, because she didn't doubt the dramatic fool did. The blanket slipped off her shoulders as she sat up, and Tamaki fixed it with a bright smile. "Do you feel better?"

"Much," she affirmed happily. Her eyes drifted over his face for a moment, and then she leaned forward once more to gently press their lips together. She felt the heat blaze across Tamaki's face at the sudden action, but he relaxed after a moment and reached up to gently caress her cheek though it was clammy and hot with fever. He would probably catch her cold, but Haruhi didn't think either of them cared in that moment, since they were too absorbed in each other. Haruhi was reminded, as she always was, how grateful she was that she ended up in that music room as the rain clouds cleared and the sun shone down on a brilliant new day…


	4. The Twins' First Sleepover

Category: Friendship Fluff

Characters: Haruhi Fujioka, Hikaru Hitachiin, Kaoru Hitachiin

Requested By: mynameistakenhavethisinstead (Tumblr)

Haruhi sipped calmly at her cup of tea as she sat between Hikaru and Kaoru as they entertained the handful of young ladies seated on the sofa across them. Though Haruhi normally entertained her own customers, every so often the pair of mischievous twins would kidnap her to weigh in on their avid discussions. So here she was, crammed between the two redheads as they courted the girl students with their shameless "brotherly love" gimmick. At one point Hikaru brought up something about a "sleepover," which had the girls squealing and wriggling about as they probably imagined some sinful thoughts- and a possibility sparked in Haruhi's brain.

"Have you two ever actually been on a legitimate sleepover?" Haruhi could practically hear the record scratch as the twins each looked at her in a mixture of shock and humiliation- inadvertently answering her question without the need of vocalizing. With wide eyes mirrored the brown liquid sloshing around in the elegant teacup, Haruhi's head swiveled back and forth between them like a perplexed baby owl's. She hadn't thought in an odd question, but then again, she was the odd one out in almost anything that pertained to the host club and its rich entertainers and patrons… Hikaru's mouth was the first to curl into a languid smirk. She knew right then as he leaned his cheek into his fist with glinting eyes that a scheme was hatching in that nefarious mind of his.

"Why, _no_, Haruhi; as a matter of fact, we have _not_. Are you offering?" _Jesus, these two will use any means necessary to get in my house. Are they really so fascinated by poor people?!_ she thought with a small sigh. Now that she thought about it, though, it had been a terribly long time since she _had_ participated in a sleepover, too. Part of her considered announcing a host club sleepover, but that simply wouldn't do; her house was much too small and entertaining the club of boys was much too draining for a few hours, let alone an entire night. Additionally, she never really had the opportunity to socialize with just the twins by themselves; though they had crawled out of their shells considerably since her arrival, she had the feeling that there was a lot more to delve into when it came to them.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Why don't we have a sleepover?" she suggested with her normal deadpan, innocent demeanor. It apparently had not been the reaction Hikaru was expecting, because he let out a choking sound as he reared back with a wild blush. Her head pivoted to Kaoru to find an identical pink tint painting his cheeks as he stared at her owlishly. They then grinned devilishly to each other over her head in agreement, and as she shrank down hoping the couch cushions would swallow her up, she wondered if she had made a grievous mistake.

"Coming!" she called as she hurried down the hallway, her bare feet slapping against the wood to echo through the small house. She skipped over the landing to run right for the door before the twins, who were incessantly ringing her doorbell, got too impatient and started beating their fists on the door in addition. She swept open the door while she fought to catch her breath and swept disarrayed strands of her caramel-colored hair back into place. The two identical twins were wearing matching grins, as if Haruhi hadn't arrived like a bat out of hell to greet them.

"Hey, Haruhi~!" they chimed in unison.

As promised, Haruhi had arranged a sleepover to take place three days after her proposal. Though her father had been a bit unwitting to allow her to stay overnight with boys while he was at work at first, with enough gentle coaxing and reassurance, he had reluctantly agreed to allowing the house to themselves for the night. Haruhi really had no illegitimate plans in mind, but her father was so overprotective that it would just make the sleepover cumbersome and admittedly hard to enjoy. It was about seven o'clock in the evening and so Haruhi had already finished her bath routine early to prepare; she was freshly showered and her skin smelled faintly of vanilla lotion (because Tamaki insisted on a skincare routine for her; at first it had been an annoyance, but actually she had come to find it quite cathartic), and she was dressed in a pair of white cotton pajamas decorating with corgis in all manners of poses. Haruhi was actually an avid collector of ridiculous pajamas- they were often on sale at the supermarket, which was even better- and her corgis were definitely the pride and joy of her assortment.

"Nice jammies, Haruhi," Kaoru laughed as he patted her lightly on the head. "If Tamaki ever spied you in those, his heart would probably explode, yeah?"

"Without a doubt. They'd be shipping him to the hospital for cardiac arrest," Hikaru agreed with a snicker, hand raised to his mouth to curl his index finger at his lip as he chortled. Haruhi thanked them for praising her pajamas before she squeezed between them to all but push them into her house.

"No time to waste! Go get changed into your pajamas. That's step one!" she ordered. They fumbled at the doorway to kick off their shoes before taking off for the house's only bathroom with resounding "Yes, ma'am's." Haruhi's out-of-character insistence was mostly because she was actually excited, having not partaken in the childhood pleasure for such a long time, but also because she really didn't want her neighbors to spot the twins and badger her with questions next time they caught her alone. She shut the door behind her and walked down the hall just in time for the twins to jump out of the bathroom door in a grand flourish. They sported (naturally) matching baby-blue silk pajamas with dark blue buttons and needlework at the various hems. They were very tasteful and undoubtedly a product of their mother's creative mind.

"Well, Haruhi, how do we look?" they inquired as they struck dramatic model poses. Haruhi giggled and assured them that yes, they were very handsome, before escorting them to her bedroom. They lingered in the doorway with wide eyes for a moment, as they had never been in a girl's room before. Haruhi's bedroom was overwhelmingly plain, mirroring her easygoing, relaxed personality, but nonetheless still held its own simple charm; on her schooldesk was a little succulent that she had been tending to for the last several years which now sprawled out its wide, bulbous leaves in a big pot. A few stuffed teddy bears were gathered in a small basket at the foot of her bed. She had a carpet with soft, fluffy fibers that matched the color of her curtains, which were drawn back to display the starry night sky and neighborhood landscape like an exquisite oil painting. It was nothing grandiose, but it was definitely Haruhi, and the boys seemed to appreciate this sentiment as they stood holding their chins and nodding in approval. As Haruhi quipped for them to get inside already, they saluted her before skipping across the room to join her on the rug, on which she had sprawled a thick comforter and several accessory blankets.

"What now?" Hikaru asked, watching with interested as Haruhi cocooned herself in one of the blankets.

"Well, when I used to have sleepovers, we would always watch a scary movie first. We'd all scream and hold each other at the scary parts. Since we did it first, though, we'd spend the rest of the night on other things and so by the time we went to bed, we wouldn't have nightmares because we barely remember the movie," she explained as she picked up the remotes to her television and DVD player to flip them on. Of course, her TV was incredibly small and an older model before flat screens, but hey, she was grateful to even have one in her bedroom. She already had the disc in the DVD player; it was an older movie about a haunted videotape where a monster would crawl out of the television and murder whoever dared to play it. Haruhi had seen it many a time. Though scary movies terrified the bejeezus out of her during the experience, she kind of loved the rush of adrenaline they gave her, and when one was with friends, it was much less horrifying, anyway.

Regardless of that fact, she was still screaming in fright and burying her face into Hikaru's chest not twenty minutes later. Kaoru had a similar idea and had his arms wrapped around her waist as he pressed his face into her back, muffling his continued shouts of "ohGod-ohGod-_ohGod_-_ohGod_-_**OHGOD**_!" Hikaru wasn't screeching like the two of them but his bodily was noticeably tensed as he wrapped his arms around the back of her head to pull her close. He nervously laughed at the two of them, especially Haruhi, asking her why she would choose a scary movie in the first place when she couldn't even watch it; however, as an unearthly screech blasted out of the television's audio system, he jumped violently and yelped aloud. This made Haruhi laugh into his silk shirt despite the tears brimming in her eyes; it was so cute to see him try to be a tough guy when he was scared out of his wits, too. By the time the movie was over, Haruhi was pretty much in Hikaru's map quivering but laughing at Kaoru, who had shimmied under the bed with only his bare feet sticking out, and at Hikaru, who had been looking at the ceiling for the last thirty minutes as he tenderly held the scared girl and pretended like the entire thing hadn't been much of an ordeal.

"It wasn't that scary," he muttered for the tenth time as Haruhi finally pried herself off him.

"Yes it was!" Karou wailed from beneath her bed frame. "I dun wanna do sleepovers with Haruhi anymooooore!"

"Pity, I guess you'll miss the makeover," Haruhi said with a click of her tongue as she crossed the room to pull out her small make-up kit.

"Makeo-" There was a loud thump as Kaoru smacked his head against the wooden frame of her bed. "Owwwww… Makeover?" he cried as he wriggled backwards out from underneath the bed to sit up and grin at her breathlessly, with his orange hair all scrambled from his actions. Haruhi snickered and sat down on her knees in front of them while spreading out her make-up. Haruhi didn't use it for school anymore now that she was masquerading as a male for the host club, but she occasionally pampered herself on the weekends with some minimal applications of foundation and mascara and lip gloss. Honestly, her father had given her most of it and she felt guilty for not exploiting its range of options; given Hikaru and Kaoru's proclivities for creativity, she had reasoned that they would enjoy dolling her up. When she explained this to them, they were nearly beside themselves with excitement.

"We're gonna make you the prettiest girl ever, Haruhi!" Kaoru beamed as he plucked up a few of her powder brushes.

"Hey, she's already pretty," tutted his twin, which made Haruhi chuckle. Kaoru stuck out his tongue in annoyance at him.

"Of course she is! You know what I meant, meanie!" he grumbled before looking happily at her. "Okay! Now close your eyes so we can work our magic!" Haruhi did as instructed. With her eyes closed, she had to try her best not to wriggle at the alien sensation of the plush brushes feathering over her skin. Occasionally one of the twins would voice instructions, such as for her to purse her lips or open her eyes long enough to apply mascara. With no mirror in front of her, it was hard to really tell what they were doing, but to Haruhi the surprise was worth the anticipation. It really took them no time at all to paint the canvas that was her small face, and soon her eyes were open again watching as Kaoru bounced up and down with excitement while Hikaru held up a mirror. Haruhi's eyes went wide in shock; though she would've imagined that with as much make-up that she felt them smear on her skin she would've looked like an upscale prostitute at best, it actually blended well nicely. Haruhi's face was definitely her own, but with the brown-hued eyeshadow (the perfect tint to match her corgis) and lip gloss and blush, she also looked like some foreign model. When Hikaru lowered the mirror, she smiled sweetly.

"Wow, guys, thank you. It looks beautiful."

"Yes it does!" Hikaru quipped as he held up his fingers around her face like he was framing art. "Absolutely stunning, right, brother?"

"Yes indeed! We could send her down the catwalk, no problem!" he snickered. Haruhi smiled as she leaned back on her legs; she honestly wasn't sure what would come of this sleepover, but she could honestly say that she was having the most fun in ages. Not that the host club wasn't fun, but it was different… While the host club was chaotic and an adrenaline rush because she never knew what was going to happen, this was almost like a nostalgic fun, like she was someplace that she was comfortable and belonged. It was a bit strange, but nevertheless Haruhi savored it.

By the time the three of them finally settled down long enough to even consider sleeping, it was 2 a.m. Haruhi had abandoned her bed in favor of sprawling out between them on a collection of thick comforters and pillows on the floor. At first, they had tried to convince her to do otherwise, but she had insisted that this was how sleepovers worked and it was either this or trying to cram into her twin-sized bed… So there they were. Of course, they weren't even really trying to sleep; they were giggling in hushed voices as they relived many of the ridiculous things Tamaki had done, and the twins even filled her in on more comedic events that occurred before she had joined the host club. At present, Haruhi was snorting with laughter as she buried her face into her pillow, smearing tears of laughter across the fine cotton surface. Suddenly, she heard the twins sigh in unison, and looked up while wiping at her lashes.

"What is it?" she inquired as she looked between them. Hikaru was propped up on one elbow, while Kaoru was on his belly with his legs kicked up and crossed at the ankles.

"We were just thinking about how grateful we are to have a friend like you, Haruhi," Hikaru answered. A faint dusting of pink blush even more prominent than the make-up she had been wearing earlier appeared on her round cheeks.

"Yeah!" Kaoru agreed with a nod of his head and a serene smile.

"I don't get it," Haruhi said blankly. "I mean, you guys have Tamaki and everyone else, right?"

"Ah, that's different," they bleated in tandem. Haruhi scrunched up her face as she tried to riddle the strange twins' words out. She really wasn't anything that special to them, was she? She had thought maybe they had just accepted the sleepover because it was something they had never done before, but she was beginning to think that perhaps Haruhi herself had more to do with it than she initially thought. Hikaru leaned over to ruffle her silky brown hair, smiling softly.

"Thanks for inviting us, Haruhi." She blinked up at him, not quite sure how to react; then, he suddenly whirled around so his back was to her. "G'night!" Even more inquisitive now, Haruhi turned to look at Kaoru, who had done the same and was apparently asleep or at least pretending to be, snoring softly. Confused, Haruhi rolled onto her back to look up at the ceiling while the puzzle pieces shuffled around in her mind searching for their homes. A small smile gradually bloomed on her face like a night cactus flower. _Maybe there wasn't an ulterior motive for themselves and they just really wanted to spend time with me, _she reasoned. She snuggled into the blankets as a warm, fuzzy feeling began to tingle through her body. They certainly had seemed to enjoy themselves completely, and they hadn't made any sort of move that implied to Haruhi that they had any nefarious tricks in mind. _A friend like me, huh? _Haruhi's hands rooted through the blankets on either side to find their arms, pulling at them such that she could grasp their hands and lay them down against the blankets. It was kind of an uncomfortable position for them, but neither of them said a word.

"I'm glad I have friends like you, too. We should do this again," she said with a soft, happy sigh. Again, neither of them said anything at all, but she felt both their fingers curl around hers in silent affirmation.

Haruhi drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face, wedged between the two twins' whose hearts she had unwittingly laid bare, even if just a little…


	5. Hot and Cold

Category: Mild Romantic Fluff

Characters: Haruhi Fujioka, Takashi Morinozuka

Requested By: anubislover (Tumblr)

Haruhi's big brown eyes were sparkling gleefully as she beheld the splendorous ice cream cone clutched between her hands. The tip of her tongue swiped across her lips in anticipation as she watched the thick glob of strawberry syrup slowly drip down the strawberry and vanilla scoops, carrying with it chunks of frothy whipped cream. She could already taste the tart berry mixing harmoniously with the sweet vanilla. _America is the best! _She thought in utter glee as she tromped down the boardwalk to where her friends were sitting at a table adorned with a shady umbrella enjoying their own dairy confections.

They had been studying abroad in America for some time now. They wanted to immerse themselves completely in the culture, so of course participating in the yearly Spring Break festivities had been high on their to-do list. They were currently spending the holiday at the southernmost tip of the country, among thousands of other high school and college students at the sunny, white, beautiful beaches of Florida. They had only been there for two days but were all sporting very impressive tans from the sheer intensity of the sunlight that soaked the pan-shaped state. After two days of beachgoing revelry, the teenagers had elected to spend a day perusing the local boardwalk, and it was there that they had discovered the ice cream shop whose product Haruhi was currently drooling over.

"Wow, Haruhi! That looks delicious!" Hunny breathed with big eyes locking onto Haruhi's treat. "Can I try some?" Hunny of course was partaking in his own ice cream, a cookie sundae, and had enjoyed it with such relish that his lips were ringed by smudges of chocolate sauce. Haruhi didn't much care (after all, it looked delicious and she would ask to try if she was in the same boat), but as she took a plastic spoon and went to procure some of the concoction for the blonde boy to try, Mori suddenly spoke up from beside him.

"Mitsukuni, you still have plenty of your own left. Let Haruhi enjoy hers." Haruhi blinked in mild surprise at the tall, quiet boy. It was rare that he openly admonished Hunny, but, then again, he was particular about curbing Hunny's insatiable sweet tooth. The smaller boy sniffled miserably and sunk down in his chair, looking the perfect picture of a scolded child. Tears bubbled up in his eyes as he stared pitifully at his half-eaten bowl of ice cream; Mori continued to gaze at him pointedly until he obediently shoved a spoonful of it in his mouth with a subdued "Okay…"

"Yeah, Haruhi has to save plenty for the rest of us, right?" Hikaru said teasingly over her shoulder. Haruhi gasped in affront as his arm reached around and grabbed her wrist in an effort to guide the ice cream cone up to his mouth. She elbowed him roughly in the ribs, desperate to protect her treat.

"You've got your own! Buzz off!" she growled. Kaoru was chuckling from his seat, eyes glittering as he watched his brother try to wrangle a bite of the ice cream from the very annoyed girl.

"Don't mess with a poor girl and her sweets, Hikaru. You may lose an eye."

"What does my monetary situation have to do with it? I just paid good money for it and I'm gonna eat it! _Me_!" she punctuated the statement with another well-aimed jab to Hikaru's ribs; with a high-pitched whine, he sunk down behind her. However, his action was just enough to jostle Haruhi's arm, and she wailed in dismay as the two scoops of ice cream slipped off the cone to smear down the front of her white tank top before falling to the ground with two wet splats. Her bottom lip wobbled a little as she stared wide-eyed at the two liquidy balls of dairy product melting on the concrete. "I… really wanted that…"

"What have you done?!" Tamaki screeched as he wrenched the twin up by the front of his tee and viciously shook him back and forth. "You made Haruhi cry! Apologize, then commit _seppuku_!" Hikaru could not respond as his brain was repeatedly knocked around in his head, and by the time Tamaki finally stopped shaking him, he was the mentality of a drooling toddler.

"Boss, you killed him!" his brother wailed as he jumped up from the table to cradle his unresponsive brother. "Hikaru? Hikaru, can you hear me? Don't go into the light!"

"Stars… So beautiful…" the twin cooed with an airy giggle. Kaoru wailed and hugged him close before looking angrily at Tamaki. "Look what you've done to him!"

"Look what _he_ did to Haruhi's ice cream! It's no less than he deserves!" Tamaki seethed back while pointing at the now-puddles of ice cream. Throughout the entire exchange, Haruhi just watched the balls slowly become deformed and melted. She really ought not to be that upset; it was just ice cream. There was plenty of it in the world and it wouldn't be the last time she ate some. The cream was now running in rivulets down her white shirt, dying it vanilla and pink. _I shouldn't be upset, _she thought as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Her lips shook as she tried to hold them in. She didn't want the boys to see, because they would feel obligated to buy her another to make up for it, and that wouldn't do. However, the fact that Haruhi couldn't stomach spending more of her pocket money on another cone made her want one, badly. She knew she would feel guilty if she demanded that, though. So she just stared, watching the colors mix together as they inched towards the toes of her sandals.

"Haruhi." The girl looked up as she was addressed to find Mori towering over her. Quickly, she used her forearm to rub her eyes, lest he figure out she was crying.

"Oh, um, yeah?"

"You're shirt's dirty. Here." Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head as he just stripped himself of his tee-shirt, right then and there. Of course, they were in Florida and walking around bare-chested certainly wasn't taboo, but it was just how nonchalantly he did it that made her flush. She stammered some sort of thanks out before tossing the useless waffle cone in the trash and pulling off her own soiled tank top. She was wearing a bikini top underneath and the boys were still squabbling with one another (with Hunny playing doctor with his stuffed animal to try and revive the still-stunned Hikaru), so she wasn't too worried about flashing anyone. She quickly slipped Mori's shirt over her head, laughing a little as the hem dropped down to her knees.

"It feels like I'm wearing a dress," she smiled up at him. Somehow, the kind gesture made her feel better. Her eyebrows inched up as he crouched down in front of her, bunching up the fabric of the shirt in his hand to pin it at her waist. "Hey, what're you-?"

"I've seen many of the girls do this," he remarked as he reached out to slide a spare ponytail from Hikaru's wrist. The twins had been tying their hair into little buns to keep the heat off their necks, since their hair was considerably long. Mori took the tie and quickly wound it around the bunched fabric, then pulled it through to make a little knot of fabric just at Haruhi's waist. When he stepped back, she turned her body this way and that, appreciating the stylish flair.

"Thanks, Mori," she smiled up at him again. A faint haze of pink dusted across his cheeks as he grunted a reply. Haruhi glanced behind her to see Kyoya filming as Kaoru and Tamaki squared off with pool noodles they had apparently purchased from the nearby pool toy shop. A small crowd had gathered around them, thinking they must be street performers. Haruhi groaned at that absolutely theatrical performance they were putting on, because she didn't doubt that in the moment they were seriously trying to maim each other. Hunny was standing on the edge holding Hikaru's limp body crying about how he wouldn't have wanted them to fight. "Jeez, they're like children," she muttered.

Mori did not respond. She figured he had sat back down to quietly watch the two fools do battle with the pool noodles. "You guys, it's not that serious," she called. She then sighed in defeat as they completely ignored her, charging each other with screeching battle cries before viciously whapping each other over the heads with the pool tools. She rolled her eyes and slumped down in one of the chairs, watching a smirk inch up Kyoya's face as he filmed the entire ordeal with his smart phone. No doubt he was concocting a scheme to make money with it. Ever the shrewd businessman, their Kyoya. Hikaru was groggily rousing in Hunny's arms, asking what day is was. _I won't be shocked if Tamaki gave him a concussion, _she thought wryly.

"Hnnh?" she grunted as she was tapped lightly on the shoulder. It was Mori, obviously, but she was too busy staring owlishly at the exact replica of her dropped ice cream cone hovering in front of her face. Robotically, her hands rose to wrap around the thick waffle cone before she finally tilted her head back to glance at him. His face was light pink and his gaze concentrated on the ground.

"You looked upset…" he mumbled bashfully. His grip relaxed so that Haruhi could take the cone, and she pulled it to her body, still gawking up at him because it was just such an overwhelmingly kind display. Mori had always been sweet to her. All the boys had, in their weird ways, but Mori especially so. His gestures were always ones that caught her totally by surprise and sent her heart to beating fast and hard. He scratched the side of his head as he finally looked at her, expecting her to enjoy her treat. Her brain finally resumed working.

"Oh! Thank you so much!" she stammered quickly before jumping forward to take a huge bite of the ice cream, which was already beginning to melt onto her fingers. As the creamy concoction spread over her tongue, she let out a satisfied "Mmmmmm!" It was just as delectable as it looked. She pulled back, licking vanilla ice cream and strawberry sauce from her lips as she tossed a glance back out into the street. All four of the fools were going at it with pool noodles now (with the athletic Hunny clearly dominating) while Kyoya filmed and took donations from the passersby. They certainly weren't paying a lick of attention to the two still seated under the pavilion. As Mori eased back into his seat, Haruhi thrust the cone out to him. As he looked at her in bewilderment, she insisted, "Try some! You paid for it, so you deserve at least a bite." His dark irises stared at her, flicked down at the ice cream, then back to her. With his vision trained on her face, he slowly leaned forward, one big hand wrapping over hers to hold it steady as he took a tentative bite of the soft cream.

"… S'good," he mumbled after retreating. Haruhi smiled, pleased, before pulling it back and chomping down on it again. She watched Hunny chase the other three boys around the asphalt for a few minutes, gradually working her way through the ice cream, before it dawned on her that she and Mori had pretty much indirectly kissed. Her face flushed the hue of the strawberry syrup almost immediately after the thought crossed her mind. How could she?! She had been so stupidly blissed out that she hadn't even considered the implications- and poor Mori, too sweet to refuse her, had obliged. Silently freaking out, she peeped at him through the corners of her eyes. He had one arm resting on the arm rest with his chin in his hand, watching the pool noodle fight with lidded eyes. He must have felt her steaming gaze on him, because his dark eyes flickered to meet hers. With a quiet squeak, she returned to eating her ice cream with gusto, trying miserably not to seem suspicious.

Of course, she ate it too fast and earned herself a brain freeze.

"Agggh!" she groaned loudly as she pressed her stinging head into the cool metal of the table. Her hand, still holding her half-eaten ice cream, shook violently as she reeled in the onslaught of the white pain.

"Brain freeze?" Mori asked. She could tell his voice was closer but had not the will nor the strength to discover how close. She gave a wheedling whine in response. As she was pitifully thinking about how the ice cream would melt all over her while she tried to recover from the brain freeze, it was plucked out of her hand.

"Hey… What?" she whimpered, forcing her head to turn to crack an eye open.

"Wouldn't want it to go to waste, right?" he shrugged. She blushed as he began nonchalantly licking at the cone.

"B-but…"

"S'all right," he remarked in a soft voice. The way he looked at her then sent a shudder up her spine and suddenly she was way too hot as well as reeling in a brain freeze. _He can't be doing that on purpose, right? Not Mori… He's just being himself… _She peered at him out of the corners of her eyes again. He was once more watching the street, but like he had a sixth sense, his eyes were back to her in almost an instant. She bristled with a squeak and buried her head in her arms, feeling like she was cooking in an oven and burning in the cold at the same time. Suddenly she was hyper-aware of his tee shirt draped over her body. It was all too much for Haruhi to process at once and soon her mind was just a swirling pool of mush like the long-melted ice cream below.

"Mori?"

"Huh?"

"Why?" She didn't look at him. She couldn't bear to. He knew well enough what she must be asking about, so there wasn't the need to look at him. Besides, she was afraid of what kind of expression he could be making right now. For all she knew, her fried-frozen brain could be making a whole mess of the situation needlessly. The silence prickled at her skin insistently, and she lamented the few seconds he took to respond.

"Because," he said in that soft voice tinted with undeniable affection, "you're just too cute, Haruhi." A small shriek like a pterodactyl's was torn from her body as every muscle she had tensed at once. She could hear him chuckling next to her. _Of course the quiet one is just too slick! _She thought with steam practically pouring from her ears and nose as her body burned like fire. Oh, it moved her, almost too much. How the hell was she going to be able to look at him with a straight face now? Especially shirtless. She shifted uncomfortably, both elated and mortified that she was wearing his shirt right now.

_I take it back! America __**sucks**__! _She griped with no heart in it. "Haruhi?" Oh, the way he called her name did things to her. Entirely without control of her body she lifted her head to look at him, red-faced and wide-eyed and embarrassed. He smiled sweetly and put his big hand on top of her head to gently ruffle her short brown hair like he did all the time, except this time it was different. "Don't think about it too hard."

"That's kind of impossible." He chuckled it again. The sound rang hollowly in her chest, pulsing through her cells and uplifting her for some reason. His laugh was low and gentle, but she liked it, a lot more than she had realized. Oh, her brain was mush, for sure. Her hands had begun wringing compulsively in the thick fabric of the tee. _Oh, too hell with it all! _She thought wildly before jumping forward to kiss him lightly and quickly on the cheek. It was his turn to blush from head to toe. "There! That's that!" she said gruffly before shoving her hand in his to hold it clumsily and tightly. She jammed her elbow on top of the table to shove her cheek into the other hand, angrily watching the pool noodle fight still obliviously taking place in the street. It took a few seconds for her mind to finally piece together. "The kiss was for the ice cream."

"And… this?" he asked slowly while holding up their linked hands. He stared at it as if it were a foreign object, novel and confusing.

"That's for everything else," she pushed out through the side of her lips as a stupidly giddy smile threatened to appear on her face. She could feel his heavy stare on her. Yeah, she really didn't know what the hell was happening, but she might as well run with it because Spring Break, right? He dropped his arm down after a few seconds. Their clasped hands hung between their two chairs.

"Okay." She snuck a glance to see his other hand over his mouth, the edges of the smile he was trying to his peeking up above his fingers. Seeing it made her smile too, though she tried her best not to make it too obvious.

"So, can I keep the shirt?"


	6. A Moment's Peace

Category: Mild Romantic Fluff

Characters: Takashi Morinozuka, Haruhi Fujioka

Requested By: anubislover (Tumblr)

A serene smile adorned Haruhi's face as she sat at the small white table situated in the midst of the botanical garden she and her male compatriots were currently visiting. They were attempting to make the best of their time in America, despite being extremely busy with their schoolwork, and so on weekends they frequented the local cultural highlights. In this jaunt, they were having tea-time in the city's botanical garden. Haruhi sighed contentedly as she reclined in the iron-wrought, ornate chair, leisurely swirling the tea in her teacup with the small spoon as her eyes traced over the plethora of blooms that were within her view.

The garden was constructed in the shape of concentric squares, with small stone paths linking a series of small clearings enclosed on all four sides by intricate flower beds. Each zone embodied a specific floral theme. And in true Host Club fashion, Kyoya had booked the area that was surrounded by roses. Naturally, there were rich ruby reds, but the garden had also cultivated a rainbow of other flowers- blushing pinks, sunny yellows, royal purples, pristine whites, and tiffany blues, and even a bush of midnight black blooms. Haruhi sipped contentedly at her tea as a gentle breeze rolled through the open-air flower garden, making the roses' soft petals and the spiny bush leaves rustle all around her. _So peaceful…_

Then, she heard the unmistakable yowling of Tamaki and the evil cackling of the twins in the distance. She scowled as her mental peace was all but shattered by their remote uproar; surely, the twins were antagonizing Tamaki in some way. She began counting down the seconds until he burst from underneath the floral arched exit, sobbing pitifully about how mean they were being to him and begging Haruhi to chastise them, because he seemed to have the idea that Haruhi could control them. In reality, the twins could only be controlled when they wished to, so there was no point in disturbing Haruhi's gentle contemplations. Disturb her they would, anyway, so she grudgingly prepared herself for all the noise.

Her eyebrow quirked as her keen ears regarded the far-off shouting. It did not seem to be growing closer. She could distinctly hear Tamaki yelping, though. For all she knew, they were beating him with a stick and disposing of the evidence. Oh well. Tamaki could use a bit of toughening up, she supposed as she calmly sipped at her tea again. _Damn, that's some fine Earl Grey, _she esteemed silently. The Host Club was full of loons but damn it if they didn't have fine taste in teas. The cacophony dwindled below the level of the rustling greenery around her. He'd live, probably. There was no reason for Haruhi to worry over it. Her round eyes swiveled around as she continuously sipped at the cream-colored drink, sweetened with much sugar and cream. Haruhi may be relatively plain, but her taste buds were not. _So beautiful, _she crooned in her head again as her eyes beheld the brilliant blooms nearly the size of her hand.

The ceramic clinked lightly as Haruhi set the half-empty teacup back into the saucer and rose from her seat to walk over to the line of rose bushes closest to her. Her white skirt, mid-length and flowy, swished about her knees with her rising. It had been strange, adjusting to dressing femininely all the time after pretending to be a male for well over a year, but she had grown well accustomed to it now. A small smile alighting her face, she scampered up to the row of bushes and was instantly greeted with the pleasurable, pungent aroma of the roses. Each one was distinctly different, some sweeter than others, but they blended together in a sensational harmony that had Haruhi's nerves buzzing with joy. She clasped her hands behind her back as she leaned over the stone wall to sniff lightly at the bloom in front of her face. Its lovely scent drew a humming sigh from her. _Smells so nice… _

"Haruhi?"

The girl shrieked and nearly jumped a foot in the air as she was suddenly addressed. Though of course she knew that sniffing roses was a far cry from a damning activity, her subconscious' alarm bells were blaring with the insane idea she had been caught doing something wrong. Her face nearly the color of the bright pink roses in front of her, she whirled around, hands twisted into the sides of her skirts as she faced her inquisitor. Mori was standing in the entrance to the zone, dark eyebrows arched nearly up to the roots of his neatly-trimmed hair. "I didn't mean to startle you," he mumbled with an embarrassed haze over his cheeks matching Haruhi's.

"I-it's fine," she said before stiffly shuffling back to the table to plonk back into her chair. She stared with big brown eyes at the cup of tea. She ought to drink it before it grew cold, but her sudden rush of anxiety was making her stomach lurch. In a compulsive gesture, she tucked the strands of her short hair on either side of her head behind her ears. "You aren't watching Hunny?"

"He's with the others." Haruhi had been too absorbed in admiring the flowers to notice, but Tamaki was yelling and the twins were cackling with gusto once more. They sounded at least a zone closer. Haruhi's mouth began to twitch, unsure if she wanted to smile or scowl. _Leave it to those idiots to start an uproar in such a classy place as this… For rich kids, you really can't take them anywhere. _"I thought you might be lonely," he added in a lower voice. Haruhi's cheeks began to pulse with a low heat as he cast a glance at his shoes, playing with the ends of his hair on the back of his neck. She blinked at him, then smiled sweetly. Mori was always so concerned for her. It was endearing.

"Thank you. I'm all right, but since you're here, would you like to sit and look at the roses with me, Mori?" she offered with a wave of her hand to the chair opposite her. His tall body grew rigid for a second as he eyed the chair like a foreign object he knew not what to do with; then, robotically, like a automaton who had just been granted life, he walked over to slowly ease himself into the chair. Haruhi placed a hand over her mouth to cover the small laugh that threatened to spill from her lips; really, it was too small to hold his tall, broad frame. He looked like a giant had agreed to converse with a fairy, uncomfortable but too polite to refuse and now seated at a mushroom table with no idea of what to do. The mental image made her snort and she had to try and act like she was coughing.

"Are you all right, Haruhi?" Dammit, he looked concerned now. She waved a hand dismissively, now coughing for real from trying not to be rude. She thought she heard Tamaki yelling again, but she couldn't be sure for the gasping hacks her lungs were forcing up her throat. It took her a moment to regain a normal semblance of breathing rhythm.

"Yes, yes," she said as she swept the small tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes away with the tip of her index finger. "I think I may have inhaled too much pollen smelling that rose."

"You… Like roses, Haruhi?" His tone was light, curious. Her anxieties had melted away, so she picked up her tea to resume drinking it delicately, casting a sidelong glance at the flowers.

"Yes," she smiled placidly. "I hadn't thought much about flowers before all this, but I think I like them now because they remind me of the Host Club." She leaned her cheek in her hand as she peacefully watched the blooms bob amongst the dark green leaves as the wind bounced them about. "Sure, it's chaos and not how I imagined my life would turn out, but… I'd be remiss not to admit that I don't regret it at all. I would do it over and over again and never change a thing," she said with a beaming grin in his direction. Mori's eyes were slightly widened as he just stared at her, expression completely unreadable as he reeled in what she supposed was shock. She chuckled in embarrassment and compulsively smoothed a hand over her brown hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get all sentimental. I bet you think that's weird."

"No…" he spoke finally, gaze dropping down to the empty saucer in front of him. "I don't think it's weird at all." Likewise, Haruhi's gaze dropped down into her nearly-finished cup of tea. "I'm glad… You don't regret anything," he added after a second, and they both looked up simultaneously such that their eyes locked. Something about the intimacy of the moment made her blush, but she could not force herself to look away from him. Not even Tamaki's affronted yowling, definitely much closer now, could tear her out of that one, simple, electrified second.

Mori moved first, looking back at the roses. He then stood up to walk over to the rose bushes, stooping down to pick up a rose that had been ripped from the bush by some force of nature or destructive hands. "So… Would you say one of those roses is the most beautiful flower in that whole garden?" It was a strange question, and an even stranger delivery; his tone was level, confident even, but Haruhi could detect the barely hidden waver in his voice as he wrestled with insecurity. Haruhi was confused about the question and figured the only response was to answer.

"Well, yes, I suppose so. Do you disagree?" She wasn't sure why she posed the inquiry. It was almost instinctive, like her subconscious was reading the signs Mori was giving her though her waking mind couldn't process them. Her eyes traveled the length of his spine to the back of his head as he slowly straightened up, holding the discarded rose by the stem and slowly turning it in a circle between his thumb and index finger.

"Yes, I would," he responded. Haruhi had no time to process that he had actually disagreed before he turned around and approached her. A small gasp, a ghost of a breath, passed her lips as he kneeled down on one knee before her to tuck the flower behind her ear with all the care of a prince bestowing a token upon his princess. Her face was not sure what emotion to display, but her eyes were a clear window to her quivering soul, shaking with emotion as she stared at him with her lips slightly parted though she could force no words through. "If I had to say, the most beautiful flower is sitting right in front of me. See? She even puts that gorgeous rose to shame."

"Oh… Oh my… Mori…!" she squeaked as her hands automatically slapped up to cover her blushed-blazed face. There was no mistaking the way he was looking at her. Haruhi had always liked Mori; he was kind and gentle. But did she _like_ Mori? Why was her heart saying "yes"? She had no warning! How were her feelings so powerful as to send her heart hammering in her throat, palpitations near cardiac arrest, so suddenly?! Her head was hot enough to fry an egg in an instant. Still whimpering in shock, she parted her fingers to peer out at him. He was still kneeling there, smiling gently at her. "Oh, goodness," she breathed, not even realizing she had uttered the words aloud. "Th-th-thank you…" she managed finally, mostly because it was required of social decorum.

Before Haruhi could ask what the blazing hell had gotten into him, Tamaki and the twins finally burst onto the scene like she had predicted. Tamaki's voice was several octaves higher than normal as he dashed in a circle around the zone with the two twins howling in laughter, chasing him with a stick. After a second of watching them, she realized there was a big, fat, green caterpillar on the end of said stick.

"Haruhiiiiii!" Tamaki wailed with tears streaming down his cheeks. "They've been chasing me all over with that stupid bug! Make them stoooooooop!" He launched himself across the clearing to land on his belly next to her chair at the perfect angle to clutch at her skirt and beg. "Please, Haruhi, I can't take it anymore."

"Why didn't you ask Kyoya to deal with it?" she frowned down at him, completely unsympathetic. His breath hitched in his throat as he heard the twins snickering and they both glanced over to see them slowly encroaching with the caterpillar, wriggling the branch tauntingly.

"Kyoya abandoned me! He took Hunny and walked off! The bastard!"

"Jeez," Haruhi huffed with a roll of her eyes. She stiffly stood from the chair and wrenched her skirt away from Tamaki's grabby hands before marching over to the twins, who looked the picture of scolded puppies. "Honestly! I can't get a moment's peace. I don't care what you do to Tamaki, but why torture this poor little caterpillar? Go put him back where you found him so he can eat in peace!" she scolded while planting her feet and waggling her finger at them. Behind her, Tamaki sat up on his knees and chewed on his thumbnail with watery eyes.

"Tch. You just had to go whine to Haruhi instead of holding it like a man," Hikaru groused through pouty pursed lips. His brother sighed loudly and plucked the caterpillar from the branch to begin trekking back to where they had plucked him from. Haruhi thought the affair was settled until, right as he passed Tamaki, the boy mimed as if he threw the bug on the blonde boy. Tamaki released and unholy screech and batted frantically at his clothes and the open air, falling over and knocking down the chairs and tea table in the process. Mori had to scuttle away before it fell on top of him.

"Dammit, you two!" Haruhi shouted over Kaoru and Hikaru's maniacal giggles. "Kyoya's gonna be pissed if we have to pay for that! Don't make me come kick your little asses!" she growled and made to wrench off her flat to do just that.

"Man, Haruhi, so vulgar!" Hikaru laughed as he pranced away from her as she made to swipe him over the head with her shoe, which she had successfully wriggled off her foot.

"That's cuz you've _**pissed**__ me off_!"

"We're going! We're going!" The twins chimed in unison as they hurried back into the floral hallway before Haruhi really did kill them. She sat there, seething and huffing and flat clutched in a white-knuckled grip. Tamaki crawled over to her like a toddler and clutched at her leg, sniffling about how mean they were. Haruhi responded by whapping him over the head with the sole of her shoe.

"You! You're a _grown_ man! Why are you freaking out over one measly _caterpillar_?!"

"Ow! Haruhi, whyyyyyyy?" he wailed and clutched the crown of his head, though she knew he was just being dramatic because she had taken care not to hit him nearly as much as she wanted to. He looked at her with teary, swimming eyes that would fell a lesser woman, but she was not that lesser woman- far from it. She put her fists into her hips as she glared at him, bare foot tapping wildly into the stone pathway. "Oh… I interrupted something?" he realized finally as he looked between himself and Mori, who was standing now and swiping grass blades from the knees of his dress pants. Tamaki's mouth fell open in horror and he eyed the rose in Haruhi's hair scandalously. "_Mori_! Were you _flirting_ with our darling Haruhi?!"

"Yeah, so what?" Haruhi slapped a hand over her mouth at the callous affirmation. She would have thought Mori would've been shy and even refused, but he was just gazing pointedly at Tamaki, like it was just this natural thing. Tamaki hissed like a cat and hugged her leg again, earning another strike to his head.

"Ow! Haruhi, why- _Mori_! How could you?! I'd expect this from Hunny or the twins or even Kyoya, but not you! How the mighty have fallen!" he wailed in dismay, laying the back of his hand against his forehead as if he might faint like a weak-willed woman.

"Moron. It's none of your business! He means it!" Haruhi chastised him, then blushed when she realized what had actually come out of her mouth. Mori was finally growing bashful, hand over his mouth as he looked away from her, but she spied the pink creeping up the skin not covered by his fingers. Haruhi growled in ire as a headache began to grow in the pit of her skull. _Never a moment's peace…! _"Tamaki! We can take about it later, but for now, can I _please_ just sit here and enjoy the roses with Mori? _**Please**_?" She emphasized the question by grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and prying him away from her leg. She wasn't strong enough to really lift him, but he curled up like a turtle into its shell, arms and legs hugged to his midriff as he stared at her owlishly.

"O-okay, Haruhi. If that's what you really want," he said in a small voice. He obediently got up once she set him a half a foot away from her and made his hasty exit, throwing confused glances at her all the while. As soon as he vanished through the archway she groaned, because she just knew he was going to go blab to the others and she would face a _real_ inquisition upon their return. With her shoulders in a defeated slump, she whined at the arch until Mori came up beside her with a small laugh.

"Never a moment's peace," she grumbled aloud before looking at him out of the corners of her eyes, impishly with her cheeks puffed childishly.

"No," he laughed, hand sneaking down to entwine their pinkies, "but would you prefer it any other way?"

"No, I suppose not," she admitted breathily before squeezing his much larger pinky with her own. Tugging on it, he guided her back to the wall of roses, smiling beautifully all the while. There were many questions, from many different people included herself, but Haruhi shoved all those aside for the moment as she beheld the pretty blossoms with the quiet but passionate man. For now, she just wanted to enjoy a moment's peace, on the cusp of an uncertain but undeniably happy future…


	7. Shortbread Cookies

Category: Mild Romantic Fluff

Fandom: Ouran High School Host Club

Characters: Kyoya Ootori, Renge Hoshakuji

Requested By: Anonymous User

The silver platter of shortbread cookies rattled slightly in Renge's hands as she bumped the door to the retrofitted music room open with her hip. Balancing the try on the splayed palm of one hand, she waved jovially to the myriad of students and hosts lounging on the expensive sofas and armchairs.

"Hello, everyone! I brought shortbread cookies! 3" she announced ecstatically. During her time as the host club's manager, she had been practicing a multitude of skills, including baking. This was the first time that she'd delivered batches to the host club while it was in session, but seeing as the handful of first-year boys she'd cornered as guinea pigs didn't keel over foaming at the mouth, Renge was confident in her improvement. Humming happily, she traipsed over to one of the coffee tables and set the platter of cookies down. A few of the guests wandered over, curious, and sampled her flower-shaped handiwork.

"Ah, Renge, these are delicious!" a younger girl with a bob cut exclaimed after munching on one of the buttery cookies. Renge cooed shyly and clapped her hands to her pinkening cheeks, but secretly relished the compliment. The air around her rang with similar praises, making her wiggle her hips around in delight.

"Thank you; thank you!" Renge sighed magnanimously. "I am glad my labor of love is so well-received…" Renge's pleased smile fixed on her face as someone suddenly came up behind her. They gently gripped her upper left arm with one hand, while the other stretched beyond her to retrieve one of the shortbread cookies. With a startled squeak, she whipped her head around to see Kyoya daintily bite off the end of the cookie.

"You've improved," he remarked placidly. A pink hue rose to Renge's cheeks, surprised at his sudden appearance and interest in her handiwork. Renge then pouted dourly at him, narrowing her eyes as she watched him finish the cookie with far too much vainglory.

"You shouldn't tease me, Kyoya," she huffed as she leaned down to retrieve the tray of cookies. It made her blush a little, because he was standing much too close for comfort. Her hip bumped against his as she bent over. He regarded her with lidded eyes as she straightened up and puffed out her cheeks exasperatedly. He _must _be teasing because he never complimented her, not without mischievous intent.

"Who said I was _teasing_?" he countered smoothly, plucking another cookie from the tray as she stomped off. Renge's cheeks burned with anger and mortification; how could he tease her and look so damn sexy doing it? Mitsuki yelped when she slammed the tray down in front of him, but soon recovered to dive into the sweets with zeal. Renge flopped down on the sofa and crossed her arms vexedly. Renge had, of course, come to separate Kyoya and the _otome _character she'd fallen madly in love with, but Kyoya still derided her endlessly with honeyed words and false flirtations. She peered out of her periphery to find him reclining over the back of a couch, chewing on the shortbread cookie and smirking insolently. Renge's cheeks flushed, and she tore her gaze away, furious at the heat that pompous grin alighted in her body.

_I don't know how anyone can fancy that jerk! _she thought haughtily, flinching at the airy giggles of the girls who gaggle around Kyoya to fawn over the bespectacled boy. She grabbed one of her cookies and shoved the whole thing in her mouth, chewing angrily to dissipate her ire. _"Handsome __**devil**__," indeed. _Pouting, she sunk against the back of the couch, wishing the fluffy fabric would just swallow her up and save her from Kyoya's persistent, heady gaze.

Her irritation melted after enjoying some tea with Mitskuni. The childish third-year scampered off to treat some more patrons, so Renge remained on the couch, sipping at the scrumptious Earl Gray swirling in the lavender-patterned teacup. She hummed contentedly at the smooth warmth spreading over her tongue and closed her eyes to savor the bodied tea. She cracked an eye open when the couch dipped beside her, and her serene smile disfigured into a scowl.

"Kyoya," she clipped tersely. He smiled amusedly at her while he poured himself a cup from the last dregs of the teapot.

"That's not the type of expression that's becoming of a lady," he said with a slight jerk of his eyebrow. Renge curled her lips down to scowl so hard her pink gums flashed at him. Kyoya chuckled animatedly and threw his arm back around the back of the couch, regally sipping from his teacup using the other. "Why are you so irate? My compliment earlier was genuine." Renge poked out her lips and stared critically at the dark-haired boy.

"Really?" When he nodded, she relaxed a little bit. _So he really liked them, _she thought with a teeny smile. Kyoya flashed her that devilish smile that seemed kind but masked his inner devious nature, but Renge entertained the idea that he was actually pleased with her progress. "I've been practicing…"

"Indeed. They're a hit with the guests." Renge's silver platter was now emptied, with only a few small crumbs decorating the mirror-like surface. Most of the guests had left, for the deeper end of the afternoon was steadily creeping in. Still, a few small groups clustered around conversing amiably about Renge's cookies, which made her squirm victoriously on the sofa. "You'll have to bring them again sometime, Renge." The girl squinted as she once again regarded him suspiciously. "What?" he chuckled, seeming slighted.

"You're teasing me again."

"Am I now?" he smirked with glittering, lidded eyes. Renge puffed out her cheeks at him at his facetious answer. She immediately released the air when he unabashedly scooched closer to her, setting the teacup down on the table though it was still half-full. She chuckled nervously when he pushed a swathe of her honey-brown hair behind her ear, his fingertips just barely caressing the reddening skin of her cheeks. Renge had been sitting close to the arm of the couch, so when he placed his hand firmly on the armature, Kyoya caged her in with his long, tall form. "That's news to me."

"Y-you're doing it right now, Kyoya," she whined loudly. "It's been months since I came here; I'm not still hanging around because I think you're some dating simulator character, okay? I like being here! So please stop antagonizing me over my silly mistake," she pleaded. Renge knew that her obsession had been foolish, and she'd paid for it with humiliation and humility. No one else thought she still needed to be punished for it, so why did Kyoya chaff her so? It even made her a little sad, because out of everyone, she strongly desired Kyoya's approval, as the one she'd pointed her misguided affections to. She bit down on her bottom lip as it threatened to wobble. "I'm sorry for how I treated you before; don't _you _get that?"

"Of course I do." His eyes widened with surprise, and Renge's followed suit. "You really don't think this is about _that_, do you?" Renge rubbed her sweaty palms against the yellow fabric of her uniform dress.

"I don't know," she answered timorously, looking unsurely down at her slightly quivering hands. "I guess… Even though what I want more than anything is your validation… It's hard to imagine you'd ever really like me after the stunt I pulled," she admitted quietly. The adapted music room had emptied, leaving Kyoya and Renge alone. Perhaps the other hosts had read the room (or, more likely, Haruhi had and ushered them out) because they'd disappeared into the adjacent rooms. When Renge became aware of the fact, a prickling flush swept over her body and made all her hairs stand on end- but not in a frightened way… more in an _excited _one. Kyoya smiled roguishly and grasped her hand to bring it to his mouth for a light, delicate, princely kiss that contrasted his knavish manner.

"I've found that I quite appreciate your idiosyncrasies, Renge. Believe me when I say that my dalliance is quite heartfelt. I don't have any ulterior motives, aside from winning your favor, of course." Renge smiled stupidly as her brain struggled to unravel the essential point behind Kyoya's flowery words. A pink flush slowly crept up from her neck until her entire face glowed the color of fresh carnations.

"K-K-Kyoya?" she squealed in alarm, flapping her free arm wildly against the back of the sofa. "Are you saying-? Are you _saying_-?" The notion was so utterly ludicrous that Renge just couldn't wrap her mind around it. Kyoya grinned wickedly, his eyes glittering like chips of onyx behind his glasses.

"How about I take you on a date tomorrow evening?"

With a squeal, she flopped back against the arm of the couch, nearly losing consciousness. Her head whirled, spinning the music room around her, and she desperately fanned her burning hot face to stave off slipping entirely into the darkness. She could practically hear the steam billowing from her ears as her brain overheated and spun into overdrive. She stared hazily at the white ceiling, until Kyoya leaned over her, pressing her body between his knees. "Renge? Do I need to call an ambulance?" he inquired gravely. The stunned girl managed to shake her head.

"N-no, I'm all right… O-oh, my heart is beating so fast!" Renge wheezed when she put a hand on her breast and found her heart palpitating so violently it was liable to break her ribs. Kyoya's knavish smirk returned.

"I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Th-that's acceptable." He patted her cheek before disappearing from her line of sight. She lamented the loss of his weight on the couch when she felt the cushions shift back into place with his departure. Renge laid the back of her hand against her forehead, feeling the heat slowly drain from her face. She then exclaimed delightedly and flailed about like a flopping fish, simply so overcome with happiness that she couldn't contain herself. She hopped up and grabbed her cookie platter, clutching it to her chest as she rushed out of the music room.

_I wonder if he'd appreciate it if I brought him more shortbread cookies? I'll make some! Lots and lots! _With a skip in her step, she headed down the hallway, daydreaming about the wonderful evening yet to come…


End file.
